The History of the Chevy Silverado

When it comes to legendary workhorses, few have surpassed the overall quality and reliability of the Chevy Silverado. The Silverado has remained essentially the same throughout its production and is the second best-selling light-duty pickup truck, drafting right behind the Ford F-Series.

"Silverado" was a designation used to denote the higher level trim that appeared on Chevy C/K pickups from 1975 - 1999. A close cousin to the GMC Sierra, early models included variations in the engine and equipment, with the introduction of different grilles and interior trim in the 1999 redesign. But, aside from that, the differences in current models are slight.

The 1999 Silverado debuted in 1998 and replaced the time-honored and immensely-popular C/K Series trucks. The Silverado came with a Super Sport "SS" package with special badging and engine options, reflecting Chevrolet's sports-car styling. In recent years, Chevy enthusiasts have started to outfit their rigs with aftermarket parts to get exactly the combination of gear for a price that beats the inflated fees charged by many dealers.

Chief among these upgrades are Chevy grille guards and a Chevy Silverado bull bar because that Silverado chrome ain't cheap and it needs protecting. Forged from heavy-duty steel tubing, most Chevy grille guards bolt directly onto your frame, with no drilling required, and they're custom-tailored to your specific make, model and year. They effectively block damage – often acquired at the hands of a half-size parking post or objects on the trail like boulders and fallen trees – before it knocks out a headlight, dents your bumper or worse. Similarly, a Chevy Silverado bull bar protects the center section of your front end with custom-wrought 3" stainless-steel tubing. It resists corrosion and rust, sealed against the elements with a durable powder coating or polished finish, and comes with pre-drilled holes for mounting a Chevy light bar.

The Silverado is known for its entry into the hybrid landscape. It also comes in a GMT800 standard version and the "Heavy Duty" models with four-wheel-drive and three-door extended cabs or four-door crew cabs. One upgrade that typically accompanies the heavy-duty models is the addition of bigger tires—sometimes MUCH bigger tires. For this, a Silverado leveling kit is used to provide up to 3" of extra height for more ground clearance and more room for skyscraping height. A Silverado leveling kit comes with urethane or aluminum spacers that mount inside your coil springs, so it doesn't take a hacksaw, grinder or welding equipment to install.

Of all its uses, the Silverado has become synonymous with off-roading. And, to keep the mud where it belongs (out of the cab and off the bodyline) many truck owners have found Silverado mats and Chevy Silverado mud guards a worthwhile investment. Chevy mud guards, also known as Chevy mud flaps, are available in a wide range of colors and styles to suit any preference. Plus, some even come with trick add-ons like LED lights. Similarly, Silverado mats preserve the appearance of your vehicle and resale value by blocking muck from mucking up your floorboards. They're designed to provide maximum coverage without blocking your floor controls and come in a wide variety of styles and colors for a seamless match to your interior, including all-weather, carpeted, rubber and official logo designs.